The Facebook Kool-Aid is Really Sweet
Posted by Nick O'Neill on July 16th, 2007 4:45 PMEveryone in Silicon Valley and the rest of the tech world have a new favorite drink: Facebook Kool-Aid. I think Facebook may just be the solution to everyone’s problems. Soon enough, someone will develop a Facebook application that cures cancer. Today I spent one hour in a meeting discussing “social networking marketing strategies.” As part of the discussion, I asked the CEO of a popular startup in Silicon Valley about what the most effective social networking mechanism is. He responded “Facebook.” Not that I didn’t already know the answer, but when you are sitting in on meetings where discussion will actually impact the future direction of a company, it suddenly becomes more significant. Everywhere you look, someone is talking about how wonderful Facebook is. Whether it is the general user, who doesn’t care at all about the future of technology or a technology elitist such as Jeff Pulver. Today, Jeff Pulver stated that he is leaving LinkedIn completely and just using Facebook. Pulver states his rationale plainly:
In LinkedIn, everything centers around establishing a connection. In Facebook, connecting is just the beginning. Facebook is all about community. And this can been seen by doing things like leaving messages on users’ walls, joining groups and having discussions, as well as some of the more social applications built for Facebook.
I also have been having a similar experience to Jeff in that I am adding most of the people I meet at technology events to my Facebook friends. So has Facebook become the most effective platform for both professional and social interactions? Possibly. I am able to keep tabs on all my contacts much more easily on Facebook than any of the other platforms. Conversely, I still prefer to use LinkedIn after attending a networking event because it is the easiest way for me to separate my social and professional lives. Will you leave LinkedIn for Facebook?
(4.64 out of 5)
(4.22 out of 5)
4 Responses to “The Facebook Kool-Aid is Really Sweet”
Yea,
but facebook is also dangerous. The more contacts that you have on there the more vigilant you have to be that there isn't any scandolous material of you.
Yea,
but facebook is also dangerous. The more contacts that you have on there the more vigilant you have to be that there isn’t any scandolous material of you.
Face Book is the new AOL/You can not fight the internet
Currently most Social Networking sites create closed silos of user information and content that cannot be easily shared, reused, or redistributed outside of the network. FaceBook is a closed Silo. Myspace is a closed Silo.A Facebook member cannot export their Profile to Myspace. A Myspace member cannot export their profile to FaceBook. This is not because their is no technical way to export member profiles; its because both companies want to lock users into the Myspace and Facebook silos.
The Facebook “Open” platform is not only a gimmick it is also an Orwellian attempt to hi jack and redefine the term “Open” I think that may “Open” source proponents would agree that “Open” when it refers to software applications at the very least means inter operable. FaceBook is not interpretable. Myspace is not inter operable. From today onwards it is my hope that those reporting on and covering FaceBook will no longer use the term “Open” to describe the FaceBook platform.
The Data and content that members own cannot be easily exported out, or used with many other existing internet applications. The flow of data and information is one way. The Open platform is in fact open for developers, but closed to the rest of the internet. A one way vacum of application development that can never expand to any users base other than Facebook. FaceBook is a “Closed” platform much the way that Microsoft is a closed Platform. Develop for Microsoft and your application will be dependent on Microsoft technology and will not easily port to any other platfrom. Develop for FaceBook and your application will not work on any other platform. By developing applications for either you have limited the possible amount of networks that can distribute and use your application.
AOL at one time was also the darling of the internet. A big fat closed platform that attempted to lock in users. While AOL had quit a run; it was only a matter of time before users understood that AOL was not the internet. That there were millions, and millions of other networks to participate in. Once the hole of reality was opened and members realized that they were free to go beyond the AOL wall; the flow of members leaving the silo could not be stopped. It will be the same for FaceBook.
The arrogance of attempting to redefine and close in that which cannot be defined or captured can only lead to a steady fall and ultimate humiliation.
Face Book is the new AOL/You can not fight the internet
Currently most Social Networking sites create closed silos of user information and content that cannot be easily shared, reused, or redistributed outside of the network. FaceBook is a closed Silo. Myspace is a closed Silo.A Facebook member cannot export their Profile to Myspace. A Myspace member cannot export their profile to FaceBook. This is not because their is no technical way to export member profiles; its because both companies want to lock users into the Myspace and Facebook silos.
The Facebook “Open” platform is not only a gimmick it is also an Orwellian attempt to hi jack and redefine the term “Open” I think that may “Open” source proponents would agree that “Open” when it refers to software applications at the very least means inter operable. FaceBook is not interpretable. Myspace is not inter operable. From today onwards it is my hope that those reporting on and covering FaceBook will no longer use the term “Open” to describe the FaceBook platform.
The Data and content that members own cannot be easily exported out, or used with many other existing internet applications. The flow of data and information is one way. The Open platform is in fact open for developers, but closed to the rest of the internet. A one way vacum of application development that can never expand to any users base other than Facebook. FaceBook is a “Closed” platform much the way that Microsoft is a closed Platform. Develop for Microsoft and your application will be dependent on Microsoft technology and will not easily port to any other platfrom. Develop for FaceBook and your application will not work on any other platform. By developing applications for either you have limited the possible amount of networks that can distribute and use your application.
AOL at one time was also the darling of the internet. A big fat closed platform that attempted to lock in users. While AOL had quit a run; it was only a matter of time before users understood that AOL was not the internet. That there were millions, and millions of other networks to participate in. Once the hole of reality was opened and members realized that they were free to go beyond the AOL wall; the flow of members leaving the silo could not be stopped. It will be the same for FaceBook.
The arrogance of attempting to redefine and close in that which cannot be defined or captured can only lead to a steady fall and ultimate humiliation.
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